Japan was once famous for its arcades, and while it still has some amazing game centres, they sadly represent a dying breed.
That's what inspired Víctor Alonso to create The Last Game Centers 最後のゲーセン, a photographic record of these legendary locations.
The book, published earlier this year, "pays tribute to Japanese arcades, a nostalgic world that is rapidly vanishing," says Alonso, and it was a huge success – so much so that a second edition is currently being crowdfunded.
"It was incredible to see so many people all over the world connect with the stories, the images, and the nostalgia of these iconic places," says Alonso. "But I always felt this project had the potential to go even further. That’s why I’m so excited to announce our next step: the launch of an international edition of this book through Kickstarter. This new edition is called The Last Game Centers - Black Label, and it’s the ultimate version of the project."
This new version of the book will benefit from a new cover, English and Japanese text, improved imagery and an exclusive magazine with additional material gathered during one of Alonso's night-time drives around Tokyo.
It will also include details on two other Japanese arcades to compensate for the fact that two of the locations in the original version have closed since its publication – yet more evidence that this is a sector of the gaming market that is in constant flux.
Alonso is looking to raise 30,000 Euros from this Kickstarter. You can secure a PDF copy of the book for as little as 5 Euros, while the physical book starts at 40 Euros.